D-Day arrives for Moynihan in Olympic cash row
UNDER-FIRE British Olympic Association chairman Lord Moynihan will today meet with sports minister Hugh Robertson in a desperate bid to secure government help in deriving crucial extra funds from London 2012 organisers Locog and stave off calls for him to step down.
Moynihan will then face National Committee Members, in a pre-scheduled meeting, whose senior officials are already considering tabling a vote of no confidence in him if the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules against their plea for a greater slice of the Olympic profits from Locog.
The International Olympic Council ruled in favour of Locog, who argue the Paralympics, traditionally a loss making event, should be taken into account when divvying out any potential surplus, earlier this month, but the BOA contested that decision and has chosen to take the dispute to the court of arbitration for sport.
Lord Moynihan confirmed yesterday that he had sought the government’s help in resolving the row and they have agreed to his request.
“Good progress was made over the weekend,” he said. “At our request the government has agreed to a meeting to discuss an amicable resolution to the current contractual dispute. In the circumstances it would be inappropriate to make any further comment.”
Lord Moynihan and BOA chief executive Andy Hunt were both excluded from Locog meetings last week after the appeal to CAS was launched.
Lord Moynihan has faced questions about his future at the head of the BOA, with some suggesting the episode has brought embarrassment to the organisation so close to the 2012 Olympics.
The BOA’s financial position has been extremely weak in recent years, and earlier this month the organisation admitted it still did not have sufficient funds to support Team GB during the Games.